Things Always Change with Time
by Impish Butterfly
Summary: Quistis, once a well-known and well-respected Prince of 2 cities. Things have changed and known as Lith, she is no longer the peace-loving prince and in order to complete her jounery of revenge she has forsaken her passive-side and become a feared menaced
1. Things Always Change with Time

**Things Always Change with Time...**

The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon when she awoke. Without a sound she rolled over onto her side on the soft bed beneath her body.  
  
Her hand slowly reached out and took a hold of the thick curtain that was drawn about the window and pulled it open slightly, allowing the sun's ray to pour through the small slit and fall upon the lower portion of the bed, mere inches away from her feet.  
  
It was early still, as she suspected. She released the curtain allowing it to fall back in place and she shifted once again and slipped off of the bed.  
  
Her feet landed gently on the floor and she walked around the dark room, moving into the bathroom. She stared into the mirror lined wall and stared at her reflection.  
  
The same hazy blue eyes that had greeted her for some many years before. The same soft features, the same lightly tousled dirty-blonde hair pulled back in a loose bun. Physically she was the same, nothing had changed except for her disposition but even that most argued had reminded untainted.  
  
They didn't know the depth of her being though, they didn't see what the times had did to her tolerate and sweet outlook on life. Of course they didn't, she never allowed any too. Any except for him...but that was the past.  
  
She opened a small drawer next to the sink and pulled out a wicked looking dagger. She stared at it for a moment, a thought or memory caused her eyes to cloud over briefly before it passed.  
  
She pulled the dagger behind her head. Taking a hold of her bun, she used her other hand with the dagger cut through the space between the bun and her head.  
  
She let the bun of discarded hair fall to the floor, and placed the dagger on the counter top. She stared at herself in the mirror again. The only change that could be seen was her now slightly ragged looking chopped hair fell about her face.  
  
As the sun finally ended it's decent below the skyscrapers and the night took claim of the skies. She walked out of the bathroom, dressed in a tight dark brown spaghetti strap shirt with a low cut back under an unbuttoned pressed white dress shirt along with a pair of blue jeans with denims strips bucked and cut up along the upper thigh on the right leg and the same on the lower part of the left leg, and to rest it off a pair of ordinary sneakers.  
  
She paused a moment to take a looked around her increasing dark room. There was no reason for her to turn on the light to see where she was going. In her left hand was the dagger, its ivory surface glowing in the reflected light from the bathroom as she moved over towards the door.  
  
She had many daggers and throwing knives hidden about her room, and were caring a few on her person. But her favorite was the ivory dagger she was currently carrying with her. If only because it was made of bone and not metal which meant she could carry it with her without having to worry about metal detectors.  
  
It was pity she hadn't properly thanked the one who had given it to her, but at the time she didn't know just how much she would come to rely on the dagger.  
  
Pausing only to put up her long trench-like black coat. She slipped the dagger in a small loop hanging inside the back of the coat. She repositions her coat slight before she stepped out the door.

She stopped at the foot of the staircase and looked around the lavish lobby of the grand 'hotel'. Her eyes moved slowly as they surveyed the people about.  
  
Her associates and allies, for the time being. One could never account for the future only the here and now was certain enough to consider.  
  
Her present didn't go unnoticed by the populace. Mostly all idle conversation had ceased and in its place a thick fog of silence and tension filled the air.  
  
There was a time when such a thing would have unnerved her, knowing that all attentions were set on her but now it didn't affect her.  
  
Besides she knew understood the reason for the sudden stillness, they were afraid of her. Afraid of what she might be capable of.  
  
It was normal she supposed, she was use to it. They knew after all who she was, or more importantly who she had...'courted' as they put it.  
  
_simpletons... _She shook her head and moved through the lobby, coat swaying with each step she took. As she reached the front doors, a lanky man stepped in front of her. Though it was clear from his expression he'd rather be anywhere other than where he was presently.  
  
"I-I'm Ma'am...but I was informed that you are not to leave the premises until Master Mychael returns..."  
  
An eyebrow rose slightly and she regarded the man before her. What to do with him. He was only doing his job so it wasn't his fault his master was incompetent and she couldn't afford to upset her most beneficial ally of the moment to greatly either. So what to do...  
  
She looked over the bellboy in front of her carefully, until her eyes rested on his name tag, a plain smile slipped across her lips though it did not touch her eyes.  
  
"Derrick is it? Well derrick, tell me...how long shall it be until Mychael returns?"  
  
He fidgeted slightly, and looked down at his watch before locking eyes with her again, "Umm...he usually returns about 10pm, so that would be perhaps another 3 1/2 hours."  
  
Something reflected in her eyes at his response, but it passed just as quickly, "3 1/2 hours? Well I can easily be back in enough times."  
  
Derrick cringed at the looked in the woman's eyes, something told him that wasn't the answer she was looking for. Thankfully though it didn't look and so he relaxed a little, but when she persisted in leaving he frowned slightly and shook his head.  
  
"I'm sorry but I can let you lea--"  
  
Her eyes took on and eerie light as she peered into his, she would not be denied leave, not by a fool of a duke and least of all by a petty ghoul.  
  
"When your 'Master' returns," _and I use the term loosely... _"You will inform him that I will see him on my own terms and that I do not appreciate the confinement of his hospitality...is **that **understood?"  
  
Derrick nodded dumbly and moved to the side as she walked out through the main doors.


	2. The Usual

**Chapter 2 - The Usual**

20 minutes later, she found herself seated in the back of a nearby local bar. Her features were covered by the shadows cast over her by the lack of light in her private booth.  
  
Her mood had lighted slightly since her arrival, only moments before. Here she went virtually unknown except by the bartender and one particular waitress she had taken a personal liking to.  
  
Liking enough to allow her to serve her, though not after a bit of mind condition just to ensure that nothing went wrong and no one bothered her.  
  
Said waitress made her way over to the booth. Smiling down at her customer, "Well evening there, Miss Lith...Usual tonight?"  
  
Lith lifted her blue eyes up to girl, a smile spreading across her lips, "Hello Josie, yes...but make it a double please."  
  
Josie grinned at Lith and nodded, "Sure thing." She turned around promptly and walked directly to the bar to get the drinks.  
  
While waiting for Josie to return with her drink, Lith's mind began to drift. Mostly thinking about earlier that evening and what would transpire when she returned.  
  
She knew what to expect, it was time to move on again, but first things first. She would have to 'cover' her tracks again.  
  
Pushing that from her mind, her plans formed and set in her mind she didn't need to rethink them. She learned long ago from him, to be caution and never let anything deter your initial plans. Adapt only when needed.  
  
She sighs softly. How long had it been since him and her and sat in a booth much like this and enjoyed each other companies? For that matter how long had it been since they were forced to say good bye...  
  
_Far too long... _  
  
She shook her head as a sad smile crossed her lips, but it was short lived as it disappeared the instant Josie appeared in front of her with her drink.  
  
She offered the girl a smile of thanks, Josie grinned back at her in returned, "Want it on your tab?"  
  
She shook her head, "No actually, I want to pay off my tab...I don't think I'll be in the city for much longer."  
  
Josie's smile faultered and she frowned slowly, "Really? I'm sorry to hear that...anyway, did you want to pay in cash or charge it?"  
  
Lith couldn't help the smile as she watched Josie's facial expressions, "Cash..."  
  
Josie nodded and pulled out a little white slip of paper and handed it to Lith, "Going to miss you around here Lith, be sure to visit, k?"  
  
Lith grinned at the girl and nodded, "I'll be sure to do that Josie, don't worry...I'll be by to say goodbye before I do actually leave."  
  
Josie nodded with a smile and walked off to attend to other varies customers in the bar, leaving Lith to herself once again.  
  
Lith leaned back against her cushioned seat, a sigh rolling off her lips as she picked up her glass and took a long draught of the warm liquid, letting it run down the back of her throat. One of the very few last comforts she had in the world.  
  
Her eyes slid shut as she allowed her mind and consciousness to wonder. It wasn't the smartest thing to do in public but she had no chose, for it was even more dangerous to do such in her current haven.  
  
Her mind sped fast from the booth, from the bar from the very city. Crossing land and water, climbing mountains and scaling valleys. Searching for the one thing she needed most in her life.  
  
_Him._


	3. Loving from a Distance

Chapter 3 – Loving From a Distance

He sat there, back pressed against the firm and unyielding wood of the chair that rose up to meet him. His legs were propped up on a nearby wooden table, which was no less worn and used as the chair.  
  
Ankles crossed and lean muscles in his legs and body relaxed he almost seemed contented. As his dark green eyes focused on the simple book that was held in his hands. He looked immersed in its text.  
  
And this was how she found him, lounged in a chair reading, what she couldn't tell. The gesture itself made her heart feel heavy, but also happy to see that he found some kind of solace even if she hadn't.  
  
Her transparent form stepped fully into the room, or what passed for one. Its wall bare and with little more furniture than was required. It was always the bare minimum with him, even when they had been together in that old Victorian Manor, he never took anymore than he needed.  
  
She felt a knot of warmth fill her chest, happy that at least something's hadn't change. Happy that the man before her, though no longer hers in life was still the man she had loved.  
  
Feet moved silently and unseen against the cold wooden floor. She moved away from the wall in which she had arrived through and moved closer towards him to get a better look at him.  
  
He looked healthy enough, well as healthy as he could. His skin was still tanned lightly like she remembered. Her blue eyes swept over his form, and found it to be just as tight and lean as she fondly remembered. The only change of note was the fact that he had allowed his dark hair to grow out.  
  
Honestly it gave him a shaggy look which only helped to make him even more 'shagible' then normal. Not that she could in that sense, but that didn't stop the idea from coming to mind and making her grin despite herself.  
  
As she studied him and let the past pass before her minds eye, she almost failed to notice when his body went rigid and his eyes lifted from his book to where she projected image stood.  
  
Her breath caught in her throat for a moment, and her heart would have probably stop beating if it hadn't already so long ago. She watched him watch yet not see her, it made her dead heart clench in sadness.  
  
Though after a moment she let out a breath she wasn't aware she had been holding and gazed at the man before her with a sad smile. Wishing, praying to whatever god that would listen that she honestly wish he could see her not simply feel her eyes on him.  
  
His face wrinkled slightly as he frowned and his eyes narrowed. In the process his dark green eyes took on swirls of black and seem to swim in his iris. It was a sight enough to unnerve anyone, especially those who didn't know what to expect. She did though...she knew that gaze all too well.

Though he saw nothing before him but an empty space, in the back of his mind there was a distant recognition of what ever it was that was there. It was hard not to come to recognize something that seemed to frequently visit you.  
  
When the visits had initially began he had been nervous and cautious, though rightly so, but after a time that faded into mild indifference. Whatever it was did nothing to him, and didn't seem to want anything of him it was just...there.  
  
Though he hated the thought of his privacy being invaded like so, he found that this...thing gave him a feeling of ease and something he couldn't quite put his finger on.  
  
It was long before he gave up on trying figuring who or what it was and what it wanted. For the time, as long as it did nothing more than it was...which was merely being present it could stay. Company was nice, well its company was pleasant at least, because it unlike others were nagging him or pressing him to move up in rank and complete jobs in a 'timely' fashion.

The look on his face was thoughtful for a moment as he stared in her direction before it faded as did what little interest he might have had as he turned back to his book and dismissed her presence once again.  
  
Lith in turn sighed heavily and stared at the man, before shaking her head, "I swear you'll understand soon...you'll know what we had before..."  
  
Her eyes narrowed slowly, as the softness of her voice was lost and replaced by a low venomous hiss that would have sent a cobra slithering back into his den, "And they will pay for what they did too us...those bastard will scream for the sun before I finish,"  
  
She was a slight tint of madness beneath her hazy blue eyes for a moment as a twisted smile crossed her lips as she turned from the man that was her world and her floating started towards the wall again.  
  
The images of the carnage and torture she would inflict flashed in her mind as she calculate with a deathly intent who would suffer what and for how long and then the best way to end their lives. One thing was certain, none of them would have the mercy of a stake or the sun...oh no the days of mercy had dead the day they tainted their lives.  
  
Lith paused a moment before she reached the wall, all the hatred and sadistically thoughts were suddenly gone and replaced with an equally great grief as she took one last look back at the body of the one person who ever really meant anything too her.  
  
_When it is all said and done...when I've finally freed us from this nightmare, will you still love me when the Quistis you loved has faded into the shadow of this bloodthirsty woman known as Lith?_  
  
If there was one thing in this world that saddened her to no end, to the point where she almost questioned that she planned to set in motion it was that. Would he love her when he saw what she had become?

* * *

**Quistis:** Geez I've come along while since Dark Knightz..  
**Lith**: Yep, fell for a Assamite got made Prince AGAIN..then got a hit put on your head AGAIN by Mord..  
**Q:** Hey it isnt my fault that guys got a Ankh suck up his ass..  
**L-nods-:** True..but you have to admit you were a bloody sissy...even for a Venture  
**Q-whines-:** hey..  
**L-shrugs-:** Truth hurts...and because of you sissiness **I** have to keep us alive and find a way to get Abdar back glares at Quistis Give me one good reason why I shouldnt gut you Q?  
**Quistis-looks around nervously-:** Ah...because...that's be like killing yourself! cause were the same person!  
**L:** ....Damn technicalities...

Riiight...anyways while my alterego's argue amongst themselves.. eyes shift

What did you think? Ya like it? Hate it? I'm open for all and anykind of feedback..yes even flamers grinz dont worry I wont bite your heads off regardless of what you send me, BUT SEND ME SOMETHING! please? pouts Its lonely over here..

**Q&L:** HEY! what about us?  
**Me:** ....what about you?  
**Q:** Meanie..  
**L:** Bitch..  
**Me:** Keep it up and Abdar will STAY gone..  
**Q&L:** whimpers  
**Me-nods-:** Better..

Ahem, like I was saying. REVIEW!  
I already have the next chapter written up but I'm not going to put it up until I get some reviews so start writining!


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